BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is planning to assign its major sea assets in Negros to combat illegal activities in the region, as well as to improve its humanitarian response in times of calamities.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said there have been a lot of developments in the PCG over the past few months.
However, Balilo said despite the vast improvements, their resources are still limited and so they have to properly manage their assets depending on the needs of a certain area.
“So ‘yung philosophy ngayon dyan is iniikot ‘yung mga assets, ‘hindi nag iistay [too long] sa isang area,” Balilo explained.
Eventually they’ll be assigning a major PCG ship or patrol craft in Negros once resources are available and once they have enough vessels in their fleet.
At present, the PCG already has three capital ships, the French-built BRP Gabriela Silang commissioned in April 13, 2020, and the two Japanese-built patrol vessels BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Melchora Aquino, both commissioned in May and June of this year.
Over the past few years, there had been growing calls from some Negrenses for the PCG to assign or even homeport at least one of their vessels in the island in response to a number of sea incidents, as well as a “show of force” to deter criminal elements at sea, especially drug traffickers./PN
